Hair washing tray for bed patients



p 1969 M. w. CHERNICK 3,465,370

HAIR WASHING TRAY FOR BED PATIENTS Filed Sept. 30, 1966 INVENTOR. MARY 14/. OMEN/CK A TTOE/VEKS United States Patent 3,465,370 HAIR WASHING TRAY FOR BED PATIENTS Mary W. Chernick, 1711 Fillmore Drive,

Monterey Park, Calif. 91754 Filed Sept. 30, 1966, Ser. No. 583,190 Int. Cl. A45d 19/06 U.S. Cl. 4-159 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A hair washing tray intended to be placed on :a bed, the tray including a circular basin and an integral apron at one side, dimensioned to fit under the shoulders and back of the user, the basin having a neck receiving depression adapted to support the neck of the user.

This invention relates to hair washing trays for bed patients, and included among the objects of this invention are the following:

First, to provide a hair washing tray which facilitates the shampooing of bed patients without wetting the bed or bedclothes and with a minimum of discomfort to the patient.

Second, to provide a hair washing tray which includes a basin to receive the hair and the water for washing and rinsing the hair, and a special apron extending under the back of the patient so that the weight of the patient is utilized to stabilize the tray and prevent tipping or disturbing the basin.

Third, to provide a hair washing tray of this type wherein the apron is raised to elevate the patients shoulders and head, and a recess is provided to accommodate the neck in such a manner that full horizontal support for the patient extends to the hairline, thereby to minimize any discomfort due to the suspension of the head in a horizontal position.

Fourth, to provide a hair washing tray which is provided with a drain and wherein the rim of the tray is sufliciently stable to permit clipping a spray device thereto to free the nurses hands so that both hands may be used in the course of shampooing the hair.

Fifth, to provide a hair washing tray which may, if desired, be manufactured at such low cost as to be expendable, or at least used by a single patient, then discarded, thereby avoiding infection between patients.

With the above and other objects in view, as may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the hair washing tray,

indicating in outline, by broken lines, a patient placed thereon.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken through 2--2 of FIGURE 1; also indicating fragmentarily in the broken outline, the position of .a patient thereon.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken through 33 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken through 4--4 of FIGURE 2.

The hair washing tray is formed as a single piece from plastic material. The tray may be made by a vacuum forming technique, at sufiiciently low cost, that it may be personal to the patient, so that the problem of sterilization is eliminated; or the tray may be molded of materials capable of withstanding sterilization.

The tray includes a basin 1 and an apron 2, extending laterally from one side thereof. The apron is transversely arched as indicated by 3, and longitudinally forms a half arch, indicated by 4.

The basin is circular, and includes an outer wall 5. The

3,465,370 Patented Sept. 9, 1969 width of the apron is equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the basin and the lower margin of one-half the outer wall 5 merges into the apron 2. The lower margin of the remaining portion of the outer wall, as well as peripheral margin of the apron 2 are co-planar, forming a continuous marginal rim 6. The extended end of the apron is curved and merges gradually into the longitudinal arch 4, to form a lip 7, which may be readily inserted under a patient.

The outer wall 5 is joined to a circular inner wall 8, by a semicircular top margin 9. The inner wall is joined to a bottom 10, which slopes downwardly in a direction diametrically opposite from the apron 2, and is provided with a small drain tube 11, which projects through the outer wall 5.

As the inner and outer walls approach the mid-portion of the apron, the distance between the walls is increased, increasing the width of the top margin 9. At the central region of the apron, the top margin is provided with a recess 12, dimensioned to receive the neck of a patient. The curvature of the recess and its width is such as to provide a substantial area of contact with the patients neck so as to minimize localized pressures.

The tray is used as follows:

The apron 2 is slipped under the patient until the tray is positioned so that the patients neck rests in the recess 12, and the patients head is suspended in the basin 1.

The dimensions of the basin are sufiiciently greater than the patients head so that the hair may spread out into the basin for ready access in order to be washed. It will be noted that the bottom of the recess 12 extends slightly above the apron 2, or at least as equal in height to the apron, so that there is essentially continuous support for the patient between the patients neck and the back of the chest; that is, the patients shoulders and upper portion of the torso are completely supported. It will be noted that the longitudinal dimension of the apron is almost equal to the diameter of the basin, so that when the patient is placed on the tray, the weight of the patient on the apron firmly holds the tray in position so that there is no danger that the tray will be tipped.

The bottom of the tray is located a sufficient distance below the neck receiving recess 12, so as to retain an adequate amount of water. The upper margin 9 is sufficiently high above the bottom of the recess 12 as to minimize splashing of water as the hair is shampooed. It is not intended that the hair be shampooed with water maintained in the basin, but instead, that water he supplied from a suitable hand spray 13, indicated in FIG- URE 2. The walls of the basin, being formed of plastic material, are somewhat yieldable so that the hand spray 13 may be provided with a clip 14, permitting the hand spray to be temporarily fastened at any convenient place around the basin to facilitate the shampooing operation. Furthermore, the hand spray is provided with a suitable valve, having an operating lever 15. It is preferred that the water be supplied to the hand spray at low pressure, preferably from a self-contained water supply brought to the bedside. Water drains from the basin through the drain tube 11, to which is attached a drain line (not shown), which discharges into a suitable container located at the bedside.

While a particular embodiment of this invention has been shown and described, it is not intended to limit the same to the details of the construction set forth, but in stead, the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the various parts and their relationships as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hair washing tray for bed patients comprising:

(a) a single piece essentially rigid, structure having a continuous peripheral margin which rests on a bed supporting a patient and having a width approximately the width at the shoulders of the patient and a length exceeding the distance from the shoulders and upper back of the patient to the top of the head of the patient;

(b) said structure including an upwardly arched apron constructed to underlie the upper back and shoulders of the patient, a transverse wall including a recess at one side of said basin and intermediate its upper and lower margins to form an integral apron dimensioned to fit under the shoulders and back of a user, said rim having a depression to receive the neck of the user, and the lower margin of said outer wall forming a planar rigid peripheral supporting means extending continuously around said basin and apron and providing a stable support for said basin, when said basin is placed on a bed.

dimensioned to receive and support the neck of the 10 patient, and a basin incorporating said wall and defining an area greater than the head of the patient, accommodating the patients hair, the bottom of said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS basin being below said recess and below the upper Egg T; level of said apron; 5

( aid structure by reason of said bed engaging mar- 2167572 7/1939 Y? "7 4 159 d b i 2,425,513 8/1947 Cza cmsk1 4-159 gin an y reason the weight of a patient applled 1 5 /1 5 b 11 to said apron and neck receiving recess, being re- 8 1 9 8 Camp 6 9 tained in stable equilibrium. FOREIGN PATENTS 2. A hair washing tray suitable for use on a bed, sa1d 70 119 6/1944 Norway 387,238 5/1965 Switzerland.

(a) an essentially circular basin having an inner wall and an outer wall joined at their upper margins to form an integral rim and having a lower margin, said SAMUEL ROTHBERG Pnmary Exammer outer wall projecting outwardly from said inner wall D. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner 

